The Great Commentary (Mossman/Cobb English)

Righteous (Just) before God. Many appear just before men, but few before God, because men look upon the countenance, but God on the heart and conscience. S. Francis says truly, “Each man is what he is before God, and no more.” Walking in all the commandments , &c. Commandments , i.e. the moral precepts of the Decalogue. Ordinances , ie. the ceremonial precepts. God gave to the Hebrews by Moses precepts of three kinds. 1. Moral precepts, which are contained in the two tables of the law. a. Judgments which relate to justice and human polity, and chiefly concern princes. 3. Statutes, decrees ceremonial, pertaining to the sacrifices and rites observed in the worship of God. These are called here and elsewhere Justifications , Vulgate: first, because those who observe them do what is most right and just, that is to say, perform the service and worship which is most rightfully due to God. Secondly, because by the observance of these men forDigitized by Google 8 merly under the old law were justified legally ; for those who fulfilled them were considered just persons by the Synagogue, and that not only before man but before God, if they performed those things from the true love of God. For the doers of the law are justified , Rom. ii. 13. Blameless. Sine quereld , Vulgate; Greek. Mark here that the faithful can, yea, ought to observe all the commandments of God ; wherefore it is possible to keep them, and not impossible, as Calvin blasphemously asserts, who in this place makes a wonderful exhibition of himself, and all but says that Luke the Evangelist is a liar. Further, blameless may be interpreted as “without mortal sin,” for no just man in this life can avoid all venial sins

Well stricken in years . He says this to show that John was bom of them, not in the way of nature, but by the gift of God and by a miracle, like other eminent saints, as Isaac, Joseph, Samuel. S. Augustine (Serm. iii. on John the Baptist) says Elizabeth was barren in body but fruitful in virtues ; her child-bearing was not taken away from her, but it was delayed, until the time of fleshly desire had passed away. ... In short, when all that causes blame as regards the body was quenched, and they became altogether blameless, all that speaks of barrenness is gone ; old age springs into new life, faith conceives, chastity brings forth, one greater than man, one equal to the angels is bom, the trumpet of heaven, the herald of Christ, the mystery of the Father, the messenger of the Son, the standard-bearer of the heavenly King, the pardon of ^ sinners, the correction of the Jews, the calling of the Gentiles, and, so to say, the uniting bond of the Law and Grace

And the Angel answered ... the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee , &c. Mark here that the Incarnation is limited only to the Person of the Word, or Son of God: for He alone was incarnate and made man, and not the Father nor the Holy Spirit : and yet the incarnation was the work of the whole Trinity, as its efficient cause and not only of the Son. Yet this work of the Incarnation is appropriated to the Holy Spirit, first, because it was a most holy work; secondly, because the works relating to our redemption, and those which most display God’s goodness are appropriated to the Holy Spirit, because He proceeds forth as the ideal love of the Father and the Son : in the same way wisdom Digitized by Google THE CONCEPTION OF CHRIST. 29 is appropriated to the Son as the Word, and omnipotence to the Father as the first principle and origin. Moreover, the Holy Spirit was the framer of the humanity of Christ, because He fashioned and animated it, but He cannot be called its Father, because He did not contribute or communicate anything to it of His own substance. S. Augustine (Enchirid. c. 28). Further S. Cyril ( Catcch . 12) shows that a virgin by the power of God could conceive and bring forth ; and first, in arguing with the Gentiles, he says, “ How is it that ye, who say that stones when thrown were changed into men, maintain that a virgin cannot bring forth ? How is it that ye, who fable that a daughter was bom out of the head of Jupiter, maintain that it is impossible that one can be bora of a virgin’s womb?” And then, arguing with the Jews, he says, “Sara was barren, and she brought forth a child beyond the way of nature at an age when women have lost the power (to do so) : either then deny both, or grant both, for the same God was the worker of both.” He further says, that God out of the virgin Adam formed a virgin woman, namely Eve ; why could He not then in like manner form a virgin man out of a virgin woman ? Shall come upon thee. In order that the conception of Christ, and Christ Himself, might be holy, not only by reason of the hypostatic union with the Word, but also by reason of so divine a conception, for He was conceived not by a man or an angel, but by the Holy Ghost Wherefore Christ, by virtue of this conception, was not the son of Adam, so as to derive original sin from him, and be bora a sinner, as we all are born, but He was most pure and most holy. Again Christ was conceived by the Holy Ghost, because it was fitting, since He was both God and man, that both should be recognised in the conception. For the conception itself declares that He was Man ; for He would not have been conceived unless He had been man ; and the manner of the conception shows that He was also God; for to be conceived by a virgin without a husband, shows that He who was conceived was more than man* Digitized by Google 30 Mystically, S. Cyril of Jerusalem ( Catech . 12) says, the Lord willed to be bom of a virgin, to signify that His members would be bom according to the Spirit of the Church, which is a virgin. Lactantius gives another reason, which is that Christ, Who in heaven is without a mother , might be on earth a*ar*£f without a father. But the first reason is the chief one, namely, that Christ might be bom without original sin. Proclus (Horn, de Naiiv.) says, “ Mary is both handmaid and mother, both virgin and heaven itself. She is the one bridge by which God comes down to man. She is the wonderful web of that economy, of whom and in whom, in a certain ineffable manner, the admirable fabric of that union was wrought, of which the Holy Spirit was the weaver, the power overshadowing from on high was the spinner ; the wool was the old and rough garment of Adam ; the woof was the pure flesh of the Virgin; the weaver’s shuttle was the immeasurable grace of her who was with child; the artificer was the Word which passed in through the hearing.” The power of the Highest &c. According to Euthymius and Maldonatus, the power of the Highest is the Holy Spirit, Who with power brings the holy works of God to perfection, so that these words are an explanation of what the angel had said, the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee. So Christ (cap. xxiv. 49) says to the Apostles, Tarry in this city ( Jerusalem ) until ye be endued with power from on high, i.e. with the Holy Spirit This it is of which the Church speaks, “ Almighty and everlasting God, Who by the co-operation of the Holy Spirit didst prepare the body and soul of the glorious Virgin Mother Mary that she might be worthy to be made a fit habitation for thy Son.” Shall overshadow thee. S. Gregory (33 Moral c. 2) explains thus, “ The Word of God in thee will assume a body, which will be as it were a shadow of Deity, for it will as a shadow veil and conceal It.” And again he says (18 Moral. 12), “The human body in thee shall receive the incorporeal light of Divinity.” Origen says also, that the Body of Christ is called a shadow, because in the Passion it was humiliated and obscured after the manner of a shadow. Digitized by Google THE SON OF GOD. 31 S. Ambrose (on Psalm 119) understands by the shadow this present and mortal life which the Spirit gave to Christ, for this is, as it were, a shadow of the true life and of eternity. S. Augustine (Quasi. V. et N. T c. 15) says, The power of the Highest shall overshadow thee , i.e. shall attemper itself to thee, as a shadow adjusts itself to a body, for thy human weakness could not contain the fulness of its force and power. But more simply, the meaning is, It will cover thee as with a veil, i.e., will secretly work a mighty operation in thee ; for it will be such and so great a one that no man or angel can penetrate into or comprehend it For, first, it will form in thee the perfect humanity of Christ ; and, secondly, it will unite the same in a certain ineffable manner to the Person of the Word. Again, to overshadow may be taken as answering to the Hebrew word py, to cover with a cloud and so to rain upon , for a cloud pours forth rain, and hence by the shadow and the cloud is signified rain, which is poured forth from the cloud and renders the earth fruitful An allusion seems to be made to Psalm IxxiL 6, He shall come down like the rain into a fleece of wool Wherefore that Holy Thing which shall be bom of Thee shall be called the Son of God. Because the Holy Spirit will come upon thee, and cause thee to conceive a son, the Son which shall be born of thee will be holy from His very conception, yea, the Holy of Holies, because He will be called, and through His hypostatic union with the Word will truly be, the natural and Only Begotten Son of God, and will be called so by God, by angels, and by men ; for He who is conceived by the Holy Spirit must needs be most Holy. Maldonatus somewhat differently says, “ Jesus is called the Son of God, because He will not be begotten as the rest of men are, but by God through the power of the Spirit, and therefore He will be holy, and the Son of God.” So (Luke iil 38) Adam is called the Son of God, because he was created not by man but by God. He says, That Holy Thing , not Man, to show that this Son will Digitized by Google 32 not be a mere man, but besides being a man will also be God (S. Greg, xviii. Moral ’ c . 27) ; and also to declare that Jesus will be holy with a holiness altogether perfect and natural on account of the hypostatic union (Suarez, m.p. disp. 18 sect. 1) : so that the meaning is, Jesus, Who will be bom of thee, will be Most Holy, yea, Holiness itself. S. Bernard (Serm. 4 super Missus Est) says, u Why does he say merely that Holy Thing , and no more ? Because there was not any proper or worthy expression that he could use. If he had said that holy flesh, or that holy man, or whatever expression of such a kind he had used, he would have seemed to himself to have said but little. He uses, therefore, the indefinite expression, That Holy Thing; because whatever it was that the Virgin brought forth, It was without doubt holy and in a singular manner holy, both through the sanctification of the Spirit and the assumption of the Word.” The Son of God by nature, Who would make all the faithful, sons of God by grace

And, behold ', thy cousin Elizabeth. The angel confirms the miracle of the coming birth of Jesus of the Virgin and the Holy Spirit by the similar miracle of the conception of John by Elizabeth who was barren. At the same time he silently admonishes the Blessed Virgin that she should visit John and Elizabeth, and fill them with the Holy Spirit by saluting them. For with God nothing shall be impossible (Vulgate, non omne verbum , no word , which is a Hebraism), i.e. nothing, however difficult or incredible to man ; or, as others take it, no word, ie. no promise ; which means that God is able to perform all things that He has promised, because He is omnipotent ; and He will really perform them because He is faithful. He says word, because it is as easy to God to do a thing as it is to us to speak a word, and because He spake a word only and all things were made. “ Inasmuch as,” says S. Bernard (Serm. 4 on Missus Est), “ with God neither does His word fall short of His intention, because He is Truth ; nor His deed fall short of His word, because He is Power ; nor the manner (in which the deed is done) fall short of the deed, because He is Wisdom.” “ God,” says S. Augustine (lib. 5 de Civ. c. 10), " can do all things Digitized by Google mary’s answer to the angel. ' 33 except those things which to be able to do is a mark not of power, but of weakness ; and which if he were able to do He would not be omnipotent ; such as to die, to deceive, to err, to sin.” The angel stood, and was silent, eagerly expecting the answer and consent of the Virgin. Whence S. Bernard (Serm. 4, super Missus Est) says, that Adam and all the patriarchs and prophets, being anxious concerning the coming of the Messiah and the salvation of men, were waiting for this consent ; and he adds “ the whole world, prostrate at thy knees, is waiting for this : and rightly, since on thy words depend the consolation of the miserable, the redemption of the captives, the liberation of the damned, the salvation, in short, of all the sons of Adam. Make answer, O Virgin, speedily, speak the word which earth, which the dwellers below and the dwellers on high are waiting for. The King and Lord of all things Himself desires thine assent, by which His purpose is to save the world."

And Mary said ' &c. Mark the humility, modesty, and resignation of the Virgin, for though saluted by the angel as Mother of God, she calls herself His handmaid, not His mother ; handmaid by nature, mother by grace. Pet Dam. (Serm. 3 de Nativ. Virg.) And S. Bernard ( Serm, in Apoc. 12) says, “A great sign: deservedly is she made mistress of all who declared herself servant ofall.i} Be it unto me (Biot). This word shows that she consented and yielded her assent to the angel with respect to the conception of the Word ; also that she wished, desired, and earnestly prayed for the Incarnation of the Messiah, so that He might redeem and save mankind. For this the Blessed Virgin most ardently desired and prayed for. “ Be it so, is a mark of desire, not a sign of doubt* S. Bernard (Serm. 4 sup. Missus Est). There is a question at what precise moment the Son of God became incarnate. 1. Andrew * of Crete is of opinion that He was incarnate before the angel came to the Blessed Viigin. For his words, the Lord is with thee f clearly signify that the King Himself had come. * Elias is written by error for Andrew, and many, if not all his editors, have followed k Lapide. The passage referred to is found in the sermon of Andrew of Crete on the Annunciation. VOX* VI. C Digitized by Google 34 S. LUKE, C. T. 2. Nicephorus maintains that Christ became incarnate when the angel saluted her and said Hail, thou art full of grace (Lib. i. c. 8). S. Jerome (Ep. 140) and S. Gregory Thaumaturgus favour this opinion. 3. Others appear to think that He became incarnate when the Angel said The Lord is with thee. S. Augustine (Serm. 2 de Annunc.) and S. Thomas (3 p. qu. 30 art. 4) and others so explain it But these opinions cannot be true ; because the angel after the Hail, &c. adds, Behold thou shall conceive in thy womb ; therefore she had not yet conceived. Again the Blessed Virgin giving her assent to the angel says, Be it unto me according to thy word; therefore it had not yet taken place. I say then that the Word was incarnate as soon as the Blessed Virgin had given her assent to the angel ; for he was sent for this purpose ; for it was not fitting that Christ should be conceived without the consent or knowledge of His Virgin Mother ; as soon then as she had spoken the words, Behold the handmaid of the Lord Be it unto me according to thy word , the Holy Spirit formed the Body of Christ, and joined It Hypostatically to the Word, or Person of the Son of God ; in the same way as when the priest in consecration says, This is my Body , by the power of these words the bread is transubstantiated into the Body of Christ. This again is clear from the fact that as soon as the Virgin had given her consent the angel, having, as it were, fulfilled his mission, departed from her. It is confirmed too by the fact that soon after the Blessed Virgin had said Be it unto me, &c., when she saluted Elizabeth, being saluted by her in return she was called the Mother of the Lord, i.e. of Christ Who is God. The Virgin, therefore, when she said, Be it unto me, &c., was made as it were the spouse of God, and our flesh was made the spouse of the Word. To those who maintain a contrary opinion it may be replied — 1. that Andrew of Crete seems to have been of an opposite opinion, but that he was alone in maintaining it ; for the rest contradict him. 2. That Nicephorus by the words Hail, &c., understands the whole of the salutation and annunciation made by the angel, at the end of which the Word was made flesh. 3. S. Augustine, S. Thomas, and Digitized by Google THE TRADITION AS TO THE ANGEL’S STAY. 35 Damian are to be understood (when they say the Lard is with /he*) not as to what had already taken place, but as to what was immediately going to take place. The Blessed Virgin in the conception of the Son received an extraordinary increase of grace and perfect sanctification ; and this, says Suarez, may not be doubted without temerity. Whence Bede (Horn. de. Visit.) says, “ Who can say or measure what grace then filled the spirit of the Mother of God, when so great a light from heaven shone forth in the mother of His forerunner ? ” S. Bernard gives a reason for this ( VoL i, condus. 61, art i, cap. 12), “ In order that God should generate God, no especial arrangement was needed on the part of God, since according to His nature it was fitting that in the way of nature His intellect should produce the Word, in all things equal to Himself; but that a woman should conceive and bring forth God is and was a miracle ; for there was a necessity, so to say, that she should be raised to a certain divine equality by means of a certain quasi-infinity of perfections and graces, which equality no creature had ever experienced. Whence, as I believe, no human or angelic intellect has ever been able to attain to that inscrutable abyss of all gifts of the Holy Spirit which descended on the Blessed Virgin in the hour of the Divine conception.” And the angel departed from her. The Blessed Virgin made known to some that Gabriel did not depart immediately, but stayed with her for nine hours, being overcome with astonishment at the Incarnation of the Word in her, and that he adored the Word incarnate ; as if rapt in admiration at the incredible modesty and majesty of the Virgin, he were unable to depart (The records of S. George in Alga in Lusitania mention this tradition.) But though this is a pious tradition it is not to be regarded as certainly true

And it came to pass when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary , &c. Notice with S. Ambrose, that Elizabeth was the first to hear the salutation of Mary, but John was the first to perceive the spirit and effect of her salutation ; for to him, as the future forerunner of Christ, this salutation of the Virgin, yea, even of Christ, was chiefly directed. Theophylact says, " The voice of the Virgin was the voice of God incarnate in her.” It is a question here whether the leaping of John for joy (Vulgate ex ultavit, Greek itfx/fnjon) was a natural or rational movement Calvin thinks that it was only a natural one ; but all the Fathers and Orthodox Doctors are of a contrary opinion. Origen says, “Then first Jesus made His forerunner a prophet,” and Irenaeus (lib. 3 c. 18) says, u He recognised the Lord in the womb, and leaping for joy saluted Him.” And S. Gregory (lib. 3 Moral c. 5), “ In his mother’s womb he was filled with the spirit of prophecy.” So also S. Cyril, S. Ambrose, S. Chrysostom. All these maintain that this leaping of John was not only supernatural, but showed an active use of reason, and proceeded from true joyfulness of mind ; and this is clear from the words of Elizabeth ; The babe leaped in my womb for joy. Secondly, this is clear, likewise, from the circumstance that John communicated his joy to his mother. Thirdly, because in like manner the Blessed Virgin rejoiced when she sang the Magnificat, therefore also John rejoiced, who was the chief end and object of the visitation of the Blessed Virgin and of all these wonders. John at this time received the gift of prophecy, as the Fathers already quoted show. He likewise received the extraordinary gifts which befitted the future forerunner of Christ For this had been predicted by the angel when he said, 11 he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother’s womb.n In John, therefore, that saying of S. Chrysostom (Horn. 30) is true, “ his leaping was a sign of perfect soundness ; ” and also, of sanctity. Hence some think that John was free from sinful desire, and never committed venial sin ; but this privilege seems to have been Digitized by Google ELIZABETH'S SALUTATION. 39 peculiar to the Blessed Virgin, to whom John was inferior. He had, therefore, sinful desire, and did commit venial sin, falling into it unawares, but, perhaps, never deliberately. For it is a rule of S. Augustine and of theologians, that whoever has or has had original sin, has also sinful desire, and consequently commits venial sin ; but John had original sin, therefore he must have committed venial sin. Learn, morally, of what advantage the salutation and prayers of the Saints are, and especially of the Blessed Virgin, who by one word of salutation filled both John and Elisabeth with the Holy Spirit “ Not only the words, but the very aspect of the Saints is full of spiritual grace,’1 says S. Chrysostom. For the Saints, and above all the Blessed Virgin, are full of the fiery spirit of love. Wherefore he who strives to make other men spiritual should first fill himself with the Divine Spirit ; for thus when he speaks he will breathe the same forth upon others, for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. God also uses such men as suitable instruments united to Himself. For He is a most pure and powerful spirit; wherefore He accomplishes mighty spiritual results by means of spiritual men full of zeal, as being like Himself. And Elizabeth was filled , <kc. She who was before just and holy (verse 6) is now made much more just and holy, and besides received the gift of prophecy. Moreover John, as I said, was first filled with the Spirit, and then filled his mother also with the same ; because by his own holiness, merits, and prayers, he obtained for his mother that she should be filled with the Holy Spirit, of which he was himself full So S. Ambrose says, “ Elizabeth first heard the word, but John first experienced the grace. The mother was not filled before the son, but when the son had been filled with the Holy Spirit, he filled the mother also.”

And she spake out with a loud voice and said Blessed art thou among women . Thou art most blessed of all women because thou hast been chosen to be the Mother of God Whom the whole world cannot receive. Blessed is the fruit of thy womb. The fountain of all the blessings and graces bestowed upon the Blessed Virgin by God was to be the Digitized by Google 46 S. LUKE, C. 1. mother of God ; for God adorned His mother with every grace in order that she might become an habitation worthy of Him, even that she might be worthy to become the Mother of God, and whom would such a Son bless rather than His mother. Elizabeth therefore, by the inspiration of the Spirit knew that Mary had already conceived, and that the Son of God was incarnate in her. And “ He is Blessed, not only as thou art, among women, but, absolutely, above angels, men, and all creatures, as being the Creator and Lord of all Again the rest of the sons of Eve are all under a curse, because they contract original sin from her and from Adam. Christ alone is Blessed because He is not the natural son of Adam, but was supematurally conceived in the Virgin by the Holy Ghost” She alludes to the prophecy and promise made to David, Of the fruit of thy body shall I set upon thy seat , Psalm 132, n

And whence is this to me , that the Mother of my Lord should come to met These are words of the greatest humility and reverence ; John imitated his mother, saying when Christ came to be baptized of him, “ I have need to be baptized of Thee, and comest thou to me?” Lord , that is God, Who is called absolutely the Lord ’ because He is King of kings and Lord of lords. Hence it is clear — 1. That the humanity of Christ was already in Christ endowed with life and united to the Word or Son of God. 2. That the Blessed Virgin is rightly called Mroxo*, i.e.f Mother of God and not only xftarSroxtc, Mother of Christ, as Nestorius maintained. 3. That in Christ there are two natures, the human, for this alone could He take of His Virgin Mother ; and the Divine, which the Father alone communicated to Him ; but one Person, not human, but Divine. For if in Christ there had been two persons, as there are two natures, God could not properly be said to have been born of a Virgin, to have suffered and been crucified, but another person, that is to say, a man, or the person of a man ; but now it is properly so said, because there is one person in Christ ; which is the reason why the attributes of the one nature may be ascribed in the concrete to the other, so that this man, Jesus, may properly be called God, eternal Digitized by Google MARY'S SONG OF PRAISE. 41 and Almighty ; and on the other hand, God in Him may properly be called man, passible and mortal, yea, He may even be said to have suffered and died ; because it is the same Person, which on account of the two natures which It has, is at the same time God and man, and accordingly assumes to Itself the actions and attributes both of God and man. For action belongs to persons ; and this sole (divine) Person in Christ is signified alike by the word man, or Jesus, and by the word God or Son of God. Wherefore what is truly said of one is also truly said of the other

And Mary abode with her about three months , &c. She ministered to Elizabeth her kinswoman, refreshing her with her holy ministrations and conversation, and sanctifying her, and John likewise. So S. Ambrose says, u It was not only for the sake of friendship that she abode so long, but for the advancement also of so great a prophet ; for if at her first coming the child had advanced so far that at the salutation of Mary he leaped in the womb, and his mother was filled with the Holy Spirit, how much may we suppose that the presence of the holy Mary added during so long a time ? ” So also Origen (Hon 1. 9) shows that during these three months, owing to the presence of the Virgin both John and Elizabeth made wonderful progress in holiness. There is a question here whether the Blessed Virgin remained until the nativity of John. Theophylact, Euthymius, Jansenius maintain that she did not They prove this — 1. because the Blessed Virgin came in the sixth month, and remained, as it were, three months (Vulg. quasi tres menses), therefore she departed before the ninth month was completed, and therefore before Elizabeth gave birth to the child ; a. because after the departure of the Virgin, S. Luke relates the birth of the child, without making any mention of the Virgin ; 3. and chiefly, Digitized by Google 58 S. LUKE, C, I. because it was not fitting that the Virgin should be present at the birth ; 4. because it was proper that she should avoid the crowd which would gather together at the birth. The contrary opinion is equally, and even more, probable ; and is maintained by Origen, S. Ambrose, &c. — x. because it would have been discourteous to remain up to the birth and leave immediately before it ; 2. because at the time of the birth Elizabeth most needed the presence, help, and consolation of the Virgin ; 3. because the Virgin remained three months for this very purpose, that she might behold, embrace, and bless John, the wonder of the world, and the forerunner of Christ, and on the other hand that John when bom might behold and venerate the mother of the Lord, and Christ the Lord in her. Whence Bede says, “Mary remained until, Elizabeth’s full time having come, she saw the nativity of the forerunner of her Lord, on account of whom chiefly she had come.” And she returned to her own house . To Nazareth. This house of the Virgin was translated by angels to Loretto, as I have said before

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel Zacharias in this song does two things, i. He praises God for the Messiah incarnate in the Virgin, a. From verse 76 to the end he praises God by addressing his son John, and celebrates his office as the forerunner of Christ. The God of Israel For although He is the God of all men, yet He is especially the God of Israel, i.e. of His faithful people, whether they were Jews and Israelites as formerly, or Christians as in these days. Hath redeemed , &c. God by means of Christ already incarnate had begun the work of the redemption and deliverance of the whole world from the yoke of slavery to the devil, sin, death, and hell, under which it had been held for four thousand years, but especially the redemption of Israel, i.e. of the Jewish people, to whom especially the Messiah had been promised. Zacharias by the spirit of prophecy knew of the incarnation of the Messiah in the womb of the Virgin, and therefore that the redemption of the world was already begun, inasmuch as the Redeemer was conceived Who after a few years was about to complete the redemption of the world by His death on the Cross. And hath raised up an • horn of salvation. In Scripture horn signifies strength, power, victory, glory, and consequently a kingdom ; for all the glory and strength of horned animals consists in their horns, as S. Chrysostom says. Hence S. Cornelius, pontiff and martyr, is represented in painting with a horn, and received his name from it because with the strength of an horn he resisted the Emperor Decius, and triumphed gloriously over him by martyrdom. See what I have said on Hab. iil 4, Dan. viii. 4, and Deut xxxiii. 17. Digitized by Google A HORN OF SALVATION. 6$ The meaning, therefore, is that God has again raised up the horn, r.i. the excellent power and glory of the kingdom of Israel by Christ the Son of David, which horn had flourished in the times of Joshua, and David, and Solomon, but had now fallen ; and this horn was not temporal but spiritual, as I have said on verse 32. There is an allusion to Ezek. xxix. 21, In that day the horn of the house of Israel shall hud forth. It is clear, therefore, that the horn of salvation is Jesus Christ Himself the Saviour, and his power, victory, and kingdom ; according to that saying of Hannah, 1 Sam. iL 10, The Lord shall give strength unto Bis king and exalt the horn of His anointed. Tropologically, Bede says, “The horn stretches beyond the flesh, and so the kingdom of Christ reaches beyond the world and the joys of the flesh; according to which figure David and Solomon were consecrated kings by the horn of oil.” And Origen explains Isa. v. 1, a vineyard hath been planted in a horn (Vulgate, vinea facta est in comu as meaning the Church has been planted in Christ

By the mouth of His holy prophets. All the prophets prophesied of Christ, eg. Isa. xix. 20 ; Jerem. xxx. 10 ; Ezek. xiil 21

I hat we should he saved from our enemies. As God spake by the prophets, and promised salvation, i.e. the deliverance and salvation of Israel and the whole world from captivity to the devil, sin, death, and hell, so now hath He accomplished the same, by giving a horn of salvation, i.e. a strong Saviour, Jesus Christ Observe that Zacharias here interprets the ancient prophecies of the kingdom and salvation of Christ, not in a temporal but in a spiritual sense, as is clear from verse 73 and the following

To give knowledge of salvation, &c. That the Jews may know that they ought to hope and seek for salvation from Christ the Saviour in, It. for, the remission of sins, so that they may obtain it from Christ through faith in Him and baptism, for in this consists the salvation of Christ; for sins are not remitted except through the salvation and grace of Christ Whence Bede says, M As if desiring to explain the name of Jesus, he frequently makes mention of salvation ; but lest you should think it was a temporal and carnal salvation which was promised, he says, for the forgiveness of their sins?